Drive Me Crazy
by starburst09
Summary: When a new dhampir teacher arrives at Hogwarts, half the witches in school are chasing after him. But he has no interest in anyone...until the day he can't seem to get one particular student out of his mind. Is it bloodlust? Or something else?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, this is my first ever fanfic so bear with me please! This is mainly for girls (like me) who fell for Dimitri in Vampire Academy...he's so dreamy....*sigh*.... Anyway hope you enjoy!**

**By the way I do NOT own Harry Potter or Vampire Academy (although I'm still praying for Dimitri)**

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"Welcome, my dear Kai" smiled Dumbledore, as he ushered the young man into the castle, "I hope I shall find that your journey was a pleasant one."

"It was, Professor Dumbledore," Kai returned the smile, and then gazed around at the deserted Entrance Hall. Memories came flooding back to him; he could almost hear the laughter and chatter of the students that had filled the Hall while he was a student. "It feels wonderful to be back."

Dumbledore chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles. "I hope that your stay over the coming year will be just as enjoyable as your school days were, Kai. Although I must admit, Professor McGonagall might not approve if a teacher was found zooming through the corridors on his broomstick."

Kai reddened, and opened his mouth to apologize. Dumbledore, however, continued.

"I know that you will take your responsibilities seriously, nevertheless, and that you will make an excellent Charms teacher. Professor Flitwick has been in need of a vacation for a very long time, and I am certain his mind will be at ease knowing that his students are in capable hands."

"Headmaster, I truly appreciate your confidence in me, but I need you to be completely honest with me – what do the students' parents think about you allowing a dhampir to teach at the school?" The question had been on the edge of his mind for quite some time now, and he felt that he could wait no longer to ask it. He needed to know.

The older wizard sighed and looked at Kai's expectant face. "I am afraid there will always be those who strongly oppose such matters, but fortunately Professor Lupin's example has assured that most parents are no longer skeptical about my judgment. They trust that I have chosen a suitable candidate for the job, and that their children will be in no danger. Furthermore, your reputation has preceded you. In spite of the vampiric blood that runs through your veins, you never showed any craving for blood while you were enrolled at Hogwarts. Those who know you truly believe that you have absolute control over yourself."

The tense expression that had been on Kai's face was replaced by a look of relief. "Thank you for trusting me Professor Dumbledore. I can assure you that I will not let you down."

"I believe you, Kai," replied Dumbledore, "Now, I think it is quite time that you got settled into your office. I trust that you remember the way?" Kai nodded and used his wand to levitate his trunks. Dumbledore swept off to a door at the side of the Hall and paused before exiting.

"Goodnight Professor Novak."

Kai could not hold back his grin. "Goodnight Headmaster."

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**I'm sorry the first chapter was so short (it looks WAY longer in MS Word). Anyway please review and I'll update soon! **


	2. Chapter 2

"Has Professor McGonagall given out the timetables yet, Hermione?" asked Harry, as he sat down next to her at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. She shook her head.

"No, but I'm dying to see who's replaced Flitwick. I still can't believe he won't be teaching us Charms this year."

"Yeah, but I'm sure Dumbledore picked someone good to replace him. I mean, he got the real Moody to teach us, didn't he? Have you heard anything about the new Charms teacher, Ron?" He poked his snoring friend in the ribs. "Ron, wake up!"

Ron snorted and jerked his head up. "What, am I late for class? Is breakfast over?" He stared blearily around. Harry shook his head, looking amused.

"No, I was just asking if you knew anything about the new Charms teacher. And didn't you get any sleep last night? You look terrible."

"Well," Ron looked sheepish, "I only got to bed this morning. Lavender…..er…..really missed me over the summer." Hermione fought back the urge to roll her eyes. She had long accepted the fact that Ron and Lavender were a couple, and she no longer had any romantic feelings for him, but as his friend she was sometimes concerned about his relationship with Lavender. Wasn't it supposed to mean more than just meaningless make out sessions? She pushed the thought out of her mind and helped herself to some more pumpkin juice.

"Anyway," continued Ron "I passed Sprout and McGonagall in the corridor this morning and I heard them mention something about 'Professor Novak'. That has to be him. From what I heard, he finished Hogwarts only a couple of years ago and he's really young. Oh and he's dhampir." _Clang._ Hermione's freshly filled goblet was knocked over by Neville, who had been listening to their conversation and had jumped violently at the mention of the word _dhampir_. Hermione hurriedly whipped out her wand and muttered the incantation to get rid of the spilt pumpkin juice.

"D-d-dhampir?!" squeaked Neville, "What if he tries to attack us all?"

"Rest assured, Longbottom," said a voice behind Hermione. Looking up, she saw Professor McGonagall standing there with a stack of parchment in her arms. "Professor Novak has full control over himself and he will not be attacking any students. I trust that you will all cooperate with him and make him feel welcome. I will _not_ tolerate any students from my house who display a lack of respect for any of their teachers. Here are your timetables." She handed a sheet of parchment to each of them. "Good day."

"Wow, a dhampir," Hermione whispered as she looked at her timetable, "It would be really interesting to learn from him. They're really rare, and apparently their blood is more magical than pure wizards. It's just that most of them let their vampiric natures control them, so not many are allowed to be near wizards or Muggles. We've really had a strange lot teaching us, haven't we? I mean, there was Lupin, Hagrid, Firenze…and now Novak."

"Yeah, and none of them tried to attack us, did they?" Harry snorted "In fact, the teachers who _did _try to attack us were all pure wizards – Quirrell, Lockhart, Umbridge and the fake Moody. I'd take a half-vampire over that lot any day."

"Hear, hear" muttered Ron, as browsed his own timetable "Did you see this? We've got double Potions first thing this morning!" he groaned. "I wish Novak would just attack Snape already!"

***

Kai stacked away the cushions he had used to teach his previous class the banishing charm, and shut the cupboard door. Checking his watch, he realized he still had a full hour before his sixth year class was scheduled.

_I think a walk around the castle might be a good idea, _he thought to himself. _I haven't explored it in so many years. _He headed out of the Charms classroom and into the third floor corridor, chuckling as he passed the statue of the one-eyed witch. He had never used the passage concealed behind it, but he had seen his friends use it countless times. He would never have wanted to risk getting caught. Dumbledore had gone through so much trouble to convince the other parents that he was safe to be around; even the tiniest blot on his perfect record would cause suspicion. The broomstick incident had, of course, been quite unintentional. One of his friends, Bradley Hall, had stupidly accepted a dare to spend the night in the Forbidden Forest. Kai, like everyone else, didn't take him seriously; it was common knowledge how dangerous it was in there. So when Kai went up to his dormitory that night, he fully expected to see a grinning Bradley sitting on his bed, ready to laugh at how stupid those Slytherins were if they really thought he would spend the night there. It was probably one of the most chilling moments of his life, he realized, when he had walked in and seen Bradley's empty bed. Not even stopping to think, he had grabbed his broomstick and flown down into the Hogwarts grounds, passing a very appalled Argus Filch on the way. He arrived at the forest just in time to see a large wolf-like creature preparing to spring at his terrified friend, who seemed too paralyzed by fear to even attempt to raise his wand. A well aimed hex had thrown the beast backward, giving Kai enough time to pull Bradley onto his broom and fly out of the forest. Bradley was so shaken he could barely hang on, so Kai had decided to leave him at Hagrid's hut, after persuading the gentle half-giant to keep their misadventure a secret. It was lucky that he returned to the castle alone, because waiting for him in the Gryffindor common room was an enraged Professor McGonagall. He'd earned detention for two weeks but he figured it had been well worth it. Bradley was still alive. The incident had also made him realize that people weren't as judgmental as he'd thought; no one had assumed he was a wild, reckless dhampir showing his true nature. This realization was what had inspired him to apply for the position of Charms teacher, nearly seven years later. He felt almost….accepted.

Kai had been so immersed in his thoughts that he was quite surprised when he found himself standing in front of the Quidditch pitch. His sharpened vampire senses caught the sound of a bell chiming inside the castle, signaling the end of the period. _Time for me to head back, _he thought. He cast a brief look at the dark forest in the distance, the turned and walked back towards the castle.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione sat at her desk in the Charms classroom, her parchment and quill ready to be used at a moment's notice. Her classmates were sitting around her, all openly discussing the new teacher as they waited for him to arrive.

"Do you think he has fangs?" Seamus Finnigan was asking, looking excited. Hermione was amused. She turned around to face him.

"Of course he doesn't. Don't you know anything about dhampirs? Other than the fact that they're half vampires of course," she said. "Dhampirs are born without any fangs, and without the pale complexion of a typical vampire. There's absolutely nothing about their physical appearance that distinguishes them from an ordinary wizard."

"So how do you know who's a dhampir? Can't they just pretend to be wizards?" asked Dean.

"Well, most of them are so caught up in their lust for blood that it's a bit difficult for them to fit in with the rest of us. Plus all dhampirs are supposed to be registered with the Ministry, just like Animagi, so that Ministry officials can keep a proper record of them."

"Quite right," said a voice at the front of the classroom. Everyone turned their attention from Hermione to the source of the unfamiliar voice. "I can't say I've met very many students who share your knowledge of dhampirs, Miss…?"

Hermione was fully aware that she was supposed to reply, but somehow she couldn't. Her voice had run away from her. Far away. Standing in front of the classroom, looking at her expectantly, was the new Charms teacher. The new, incredibly handsome Charms teacher. She could almost hear Parvati's jaw drop open next to her. With an enormous effort, she pulled herself back together.

"Um…Granger," she managed to respond, "Hermione Granger."

He smiled at her. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Granger" He turned his attention to the rest of the class. "My name is Kai Novak. As you probably already know, Professor Flitwick has taken the year off to rest, so I will be taking over his classes. If you have any problems with the coursework, please feel free to consult me at any time." He grinned. "I don't bite."

A few of her classmates chuckled, and she could hear Parvati and Lavender giggling shrilly beside her. She had a funny feeling that they wouldn't mind at all if he _did _bite. Come to think of it, neither would she…

_Snap out of it, Hermione, _she told herself sternly. _He's a teacher_. She brought herself back to what he was saying.

"For our first class, I'd like to review some of the spells you've learnt in the past. For the rest of the term, you'll be expected to perform non-verbal spells, as your other teachers have probably already informed you." Everyone groaned, and he looked amused. "Yes, I know non-verbal spells are tedious, but believe me when I say they'll pay off in the end. You wouldn't want your enemy to hear you when you send that jinx at him, do you?" He winked at them. The class erupted into laughter again, and she could see a couple of people straightening up in their seats.

When class was over, everyone headed toward Gryffindor tower, once again discussing Professor Novak.

"I think I'm in love!" squealed Parvati. Some of the other Gryffindor girls nodded their heads fervently, Lavender included. Hermione could see Ron frowning at her. When everyone split up to go their separate ways in the common room, he didn't join Harry and Hermione at their usual table in the corner. Instead, he trooped moodily up to the boys' dormitories. Lavender, still engaged in conversation with the group of sixth year girls, didn't even seem to notice that he'd left.

"What's with Won-Won?" Harry asked, as he sat next to Hermione.

"He's…probably a little jealous" she said, looking over at the group of girls. "Lavender seems to have forgotten all about him after Charms class."

Harry followed her gaze. "Yeah they all seem to really like that new professor." He paused and looked at her. "Hey…you're a girl."

"Thanks for noticing" she replied, dryly.

"No, I mean, how come you don't fancy him too?"

"I…How could…Don't you…" she spluttered "He's a _teacher_!"

"Okay, okay!" Harry gave her an odd look. "Sorry, I was just asking." He turned away to start unpacking his book bag, leaving her red in the face. She crossed her arms defensively against herself and stared at the fireplace. At least she'd defended herself. Because she _didn't_ like him.

Did she_?_

***

Bright and early the next morning, Hermione found herself walking through the grounds, on her way back from the Owlery. She'd forgotten to send more of Honeydukes' Tooth Flossing String Mints to her parents, and there was no way she was letting Crookshanks wander out of Hogwarts by himself, so she'd asked Harry to borrow Hedwig.

She was enjoying the morning walk. She stood for a minute watching the giant squid drift around the lake, feeling extremely happy. The night before she had lain awake in her bed, thinking about the situation with Professor Novak. Should it even be considered a situation? She'd felt so confused. Thankfully, after hours of deliberating, she'd managed to convince herself that she did _not_ have a crush on any teacher. When she woke up that morning, she was in a spectacular mood. She regretted she didn't have Charms that day; she felt completely prepared to face any amount of dashing teachers life decided to throw at her.

"Sickle for your thoughts," said a voice behind her. Startled, she turned around. Standing there was Cormac McLaggen, a Gryffindor in the year above her. She didn't know much about him, other than that he came from a relatively influential wizarding family.

"Oh, hello," she said politely. "What are you doing out here this early?"

"Well, I'm trying out for Keeper this year so I thought I'd come down to practice for a bit," he indicated the broom he was holding. "Hermione, is it?"

She nodded, wondering where he was going with this.

"You know that ball that's coming up?" There it was. He was going to ask her to the ball. She remembered when Dumbledore had announced it at the start of term feast. Hogwarts had been founded exactly one thousand years ago and the ball was being held in celebration. She hadn't thought much about it since it had been announced. The Yule Ball had ended disastrously, and she wasn't sure how this one would turn out. She wasn't even sure she'd go.

"Um, yes."

"Would you like to go with me?"

She considered it. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as she thought. Who knew? It could be fun. And she didn't have anyone to go with anyway.

"Yes, I'd like that," she replied, smiling at him. He grinned.

"Terrific. See you around then." He walked off toward the Quidditch pitch.

She watched him walk off, smiling to herself. It was true she didn't know much about him, but for all she knew, he could turn out to be the one she was looking for. Ron had Lavender, Harry had Ginny, even Neville had Luna…

She needed someone too.

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**A/N: I know a lot of things are completely different from the book, so it might be strange to read some of it. Hopefully you'll like my story anyway! :)**

**Review pretty please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. **

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As September flew by, Kai found himself adjusting to his new life at Hogwarts. His students were surprisingly easy to talk to, and he enjoyed teaching them. It was a little startling how much attention the female students paid him; they seemed to be everywhere he went, huddled in little groups and giggling openly as he passed by. As a result, he'd decided to spend his free time out in the grounds, where he could at least avoid most of the stares. He'd enjoyed a peaceful time for a few days until a fourth year girl had spotted him correcting homework under a tree near the lake, and in a few minutes he found the previously deserted lawn to be quite crowded. He had then returned to the castle, choosing to simply ignore the constant gawking instead of allowing himself to remain cooped up in his office.

There was one student in particular who caught his interest, professionally of course. Hermione Granger was without a doubt the most brilliant student he'd ever met. He had been looking through some of the old Charms essays that Professor Flitwick had left behind, and he was completely astounded that one student could possess as much knowledge as she did. She should be taking seventh year Charms, and even then he suspected she'd breeze through. He wondered why Professor Flitwick had never attempted to place her in an advanced class. One afternoon, after his sixth year class had ended, he walked up to where she was sitting at her desk, packing her things.

"Can I have a word with you, Miss Granger?"

She looked surprised. "Of course, Professor." She followed him to his desk as the rest of the class filed out. He conjured a chair for her to sit on, then sat on his own chair behind the desk.

"I've been looking through some of your Charms essays, and I have to say, I was completely amazed. Your writing far surpasses that of anyone at your level. In class I notice you have no problem with any of the coursework and you're always the first to answer my questions. I think this class may be holding you back. Would you be interested in taking a seventh year class?"

From the look on her face, he could tell she'd heard this question before. She shook her head, smiling slightly.

"It's okay, Professor, I already discussed this with Professor Flitwick," she said. "I don't think I'd be very comfortable in a seventh year class. Besides, I'm not ready to take N.E.W.T.s yet. I'd definitely need more than a few months to prepare myself."

He chuckled. "On the contrary, I believe you could take the N.E.W.T. examinations tomorrow and get all O grades. I've heard the other teachers speak very highly of your performance in their classes."

She blushed, and he felt a sudden twinge in his stomach. He paused for a minute, confused, then shook it off. It had been a long day. He was probably just imagining things.

"Anyway, I should let you go back to your common room now. I'm sure you…er…have a lot of preparations to make for the ball tomorrow."

She looked amused. "I wouldn't need an entire day, Professor. Are you planning to come tomorrow?"

He grimaced. "I shall confess, balls have always made me a bit uncomfortable. However, as a teacher I am expected to attend and that I will, regardless of my dislike for formal dancing. After all, if Professor Snape can don his dress robes and join in the celebrations, so can I, don't you agree?" He smiled at her.

She burst out laughing, and he couldn't help but notice the way some of her hair fell across her face as she laughed. They were like perfect brown waves, caressing her soft cheeks…

Then he felt it. It was like a raging fire coursing through his veins into every part of him, making his heart race like it never had before. He was startled. What was happening? He rose suddenly from his chair, knocking it over in the process.

"Are you alright, Professor?" Hermione asked, looking concerned. Hearing her voice, the unfamiliar feeling intensified.

"I'm…fine," he managed to reply. "Good day, Miss Granger." He sped out of the classroom and into his office, using his enhanced speed to get there faster. He knew he would be leaving her completely bewildered and without any reason, but that didn't matter. He needed to be on his own. He sank into an armchair near his desk, his head spinning.

_What the hell is happening to me? That burning sensation inside of me…I've never felt anything like it before. It was almost like… No, it can't be possible. It can't be. Or…can it?_

Standing up, he set off towards the hospital wing. The fiery feeling had left him for the moment, thankfully. He reached the hospital wing, and walked into Madam Pomfrey's office. She was reading at her desk, and she put the book down when she saw him.

"Kai, dear, whatever is the matter?" she asked, no doubt noticing the grim look on his face.

"Madam Pomfrey, I think I've just experienced bloodlust."

***

"You'll have plenty of time!"

"No, I won't!"

"Yes, you will!"

"NO, I WON'T! You're so stubborn, Ron!"

Hermione sighed and turned away. She had been listening to Ron and Lavender argue for the past half hour and she was tired. She wasn't even sure what they were fighting about this time, but quite frankly, she didn't care. They had been yelling at each other so often over the past few weeks that no one paid them any attention anymore. Everyone in the Gryffindor common room was doing homework and chatting with their friends like nothing was happening. As she sat there, staring out of the window, her mind slowly drifted back to the incident with Professor Novak that afternoon. Why had he left so abruptly? Was it something she said?

"Hey, Hermione," Ginny said, as she plopped down into an armchair next to her. She looked over at Lavender and Ron. "Those two are really starting to annoy me now. You know what they're fighting over?" Hermione shook her head. "They're arguing because Ron wants to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow and Lavender doesn't want to because she's saying that she won't have enough time to get ready for the ball. Can you believe them? I don't know how long it will take before they finally figure out that it's possible for him to just go without her." She rolled her eyes. "They've been rocky for ages...I'm not even sure they'll end up going to the ball together."

"Yes, I suppose they might not..." Hermione was prepared to bet that Novak was one of the reasons Ron and Lavender were fighting so much, but she decided not to mention it to Ginny. Her mind once again wandered back to her meeting with him that afternoon, trying to figure out the cause for his sudden departure.

"Hermione? What are you thinking about? You look a bit troubled."

"Well," she paused, wondering whether she should tell Ginny about it. After about of second of deliberating, she realised that she should. Ginny was a good listener, and it would be a relief to talk about it to someone, even though it might not seem like such a big deal. She launched into her tale of what had happened after Charms class.

"Wow," said Ginny, after she had told her everything. "That really was odd. But it wasn't your fault that he left so suddenly, so I don't think you should worry about it anymore."

"You're right," she sighed. "I'm just going to forget about it. I'm sure I didn't have anything to do with it."

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**A/N: So who do you guys picture when you think of Kai? Let me know!**

**(Oh, you can also feel free to let me know what you thought about this chapter. But no pressure XD)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again! Sorry about the late update!**

**I picked a random reviewer and I got ImaVampireIBiteAndStuff soooooooo I'm dedicating this chapter to you :) Which is perfect because you're my first reviewer and you share my love of hot Russians :D**

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He was soaring through the air, the wind whistling in his ears as he sped toward the forest. Just as he passed Hagrid's hut, the trees melted together, somehow turning into his Charms classroom. The room was completely empty, except for the lone figure standing in the middle. It was Bradley.

"Brad? Are you okay?" Kai asked, dismounting his broomstick and hurrying toward his friend. He nodded, and took a step forward. He began to shrink, his body transforming itself in front of Kai's eyes. A few seconds later, he was gone, and standing in his place was Hermione Granger. She waved a piece of parchment at him, saying, "Professor? Can you look at this for me?" He reached out for the parchment, but his fingers went right through it. They ended up in contact with her own fingers, and once again the strange feeling shot through him. This time he didn't try to control it. Reaching out, he prepared to sink his teeth into her neck...

Kai sat up in his bed, breathing heavily. A quick glance at his watch told him that morning was still a few hours away. He got out of bed and walked to the window, looking out at the star covered sky. _Damn nightmare,_ he thought. The evening before, Madam Pomfrey had given him a dose of a strange green potion, telling him it would control his bloodlust for at least three days.

_"This isn't strong enough to work for a full grown vampire, but for a dhampir it's perfectly fine," she had said, pouring out some of the potion into a glass for him. "It's a miracle in itself that this potion was even invented. So many could find peace with just a small dose."_

_He gulped it down, grimacing. "How come this isn't given to all dhampirs then?"_

_She smiled sadly as she took the glass from him. "It's because there are so few who are willing to take it, Kai. Not all of them are willing to live side by side at peace with wizards, like you are."_

After thanking her profusely, he had left, completely happy. At least for the next three days he could be sure he wouldn't feel the urge to attack anyone.

_I should get some sleep, _he thought to himself. _I have a ball to attend later. _Grimacing, he turned from the window and headed back to bed.

***

Later that evening, Kai found himself standing in the Great Hall, wearing his best dress robes. All the girls who passed by were turning to stare at him, but this time he didn't mind. He smiled cheerfully back at them, extremely glad he didn't feel the need to drink their blood. He was in high spirits as he listened to Professor Vector, who was chatting animatedly about the occasion.

"Never thought I'd be teaching when Hogwarts turned a millennium old!" she said, taking another long sip of her drink. "Why, it seems like just yesterday I was a student here. You make me feel so terribly old, Kai."

He laughed. "I've been feeling quite old myself lately, Professor Vector. I think-" He broke off suddenly. He couldn't seem to find his voice.

Hermione Granger had just walked in, arm in arm with a Gryffindor who Kai recognized from his seventh year class. She looked absolutely breathtaking. Her hair fell softly around her shoulders, which were exposed by her strapless lilac dress. It fit her perfectly, emphasizing the curves that her school robes had hidden. Her partner couldn't seem to take his eyes off her, and personally, Kai couldn't blame him. He was finding it difficult to pay attention to his conversation with Professor Vector, who didn't even seem to notice as she continued her stream of chatter. As Hermione walked pass him, he felt a familiar sensation shoot through his stomach. _No! It can't be!_

_"_Excuse me," he said, turning away quickly from Professor Vector. She looked mildly surprised for a brief moment, then shrugged and turned to pour herself another drink. He hurried out of the Great Hall and moments later was standing, once again, in Madam Pomfrey's office. He was relieved to see that she was in there.

"It happened again. I...I don't understand. The potion didn't work!"

"Nonsense," she said, calmly, "I checked that potion myself. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Tell me what happened, Kai."

"I was standing there talking to Professor Vector, then suddenly she walked in and-"

"She?"

"Hermione Granger. I was with her yesterday, the first time I felt bloodlust. I don't understand...I was perfectly fine all day..."

"How exactly did you feel?"

"It was like...something awakened inside of me. There was this fiery feeling...and my heart was racing..."

Madam Pomfrey looked at him for a minute, then suddenly realization dawned on her face. She chuckled. He looked back at her, confused.

"Kai dear, it isn't her blood that you're after. It's _her_."

He froze. "What?"

"You're in love with her, Kai."

***

Hermione was definitely _not _enjoying herself. She'd seen Professor Novak exit the hall right after she walked in, and her suspicion that she was the cause arose once again. She tried to shrug it off, hoping that her evening with McLaggen could make her forget her worries. She'd thought that he would be a perfect gentleman, but she was starting to realize how very very wrong she was. At first it was flattering, the way he kept staring at her; then after a while she started to feel extremely uncomfortable. Then, if the intense staring wasn't enough, he just couldn't seem to keep his hands to himself. He didn't even ask her to dance, he just sat annoyingly close to her at their table, his arm around her.

_If he's not careful, he'll end up spending the night in the hospital wing, _she thought grimly. She was about to move away from him when suddenly she saw a figure come up to her. It was Ron.

"Hi, Ron" she said, looking up at him. "Where's Lavender?"

He shrugged. "She and I aren't together anymore. She ended it this morning."

"Oh," Hermione said, trying to look surprised. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I knew it was coming anyway. We just couldn't seem to agree anymore."

She just nodded. She didn't know what else to say.

"So, anyway, I thought I'd ask you to go to the ball with me earlier, but I didn't realize you already had a partner." He was glaring at McLaggen, who stared stonily back at him.

Anger bubbled up inside of her. It was like the Yule Ball all over again. _Who does Ron think he is? I'm always his back up plan! Last time I actually _did _have feelings for him, but this time he's wrong!_

With a huge effort, she plastered a smile on her face and moved closer to McLaggen. "I'm sorry, Ron, maybe someone else needs a last minute partner. Cormac and I were just about to take a walk on the grounds. It's so romantic out there at night, isn't it?" She got up, followed by McLaggen, who looked like he couldn't believe his luck. They proceeded to the door, leaving a very shocked Ron standing at the table.

Once they were outside, McLaggen wasted no time. He leaned over and tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she yelled furiously. He paused for a moment, looking surprised. Then he smirked.

"Playing hard to get, aren't you? There's no need, I already want you." He tried to grab her arm, but she was prepared. What with her fury at Ron and confusion over Professor Novak, McLaggen had picked the wrong day to mess with her. She whipped her wand out of her purse and hurled a stinging jinx at him. He yelled in pain, his hands covering his rapidly swelling face. She stalked off into the castle, still furious. Seventh years were taught spells to remove the effects of minor jinxes, he would figure it out sooner or later.

***

Kai was sitting on the floor inside the clock tower, the top of his shirt unbuttoned and a small bottle of firewhiskey in his hand. The clock tower had been his favorite place to visit as a student; when his friends snuck off to Hogsmeade he would usually come here and sit by himself, where no one could bother him.

Now that he thought about it, he realized Madam Pomfrey was right. He was in love with Hermione Granger. She was beautiful, and smart, and easy to talk to. Even though he only knew her for a few weeks, it felt like he'd known her his entire life. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to get her out of his head. The firewhiskey didn't have as much effect on him as it would on normal wizards, but it was still helping to ease his shock. He was horrified at himself. _You're in love with a student, Kai._

He caught the sound of footsteps coming up the wooden stairs, and he turned toward the sound, wondering who it could possibly be. Filch, perhaps? Then, as the figure reached the top of the stairs, he realized that it was certainly not Argus Filch. He bit back a groan. It was Hermione, and she looked even more beautiful than she had before. This was _not _helping him.

"Professor?" she said, looking extremely surprised at the sight of him sitting there. He supposed the bottle in his hand didn't help matters, either. "What are you doing here?"

"I used to come here to think sometimes as a student, and I...er...thought I'd come back and pay the old clocktower a visit." It was partially true, anyway.

"Oh," she hesitated for a moment, then walked up to him. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Yes he did mind. He was afraid of being so close to her, afraid he'd want to hold her and never let go.

"No, of course not," he said, forcing a smile. "But we don't want to get that pretty dress of yours dirty. _Scourgify._" He cleaned a spot in the dusty floor for her, and helped her sit down. She glanced at the bottle.

"I'm guessing you aren't having such a great night either, are you?" He shrugged. It was true that his evening hadn't quite gone as he'd planned, but somehow, sitting there next to her, things didn't seem so bad after all. As much as he was trying to fight it, he was enjoying having her next to him. This was certainly not something he was about to discuss, however.

"Life is full of ups and downs. I'll live." He smiled at her, genuinely this time. "So may I ask what brought you here?"

She sighed, leaning her head back on the wall. "I was having a horrible night, and I didn't feel like going back to Gryffindor Tower, so I just wandered around the castle for a while until I ended up here. I didn't think I'd find anyone in the clock tower." She bit her lip, looking hesitant. "I'm glad you _are_ here though, because I'd like to ask you something. Why did you leave like that yesterday? And today? Almost as soon as I walked into the hall, you left. Did I do something wrong?"

He looked at her earnest expression, wishing he had a good reason to give to her. But he didn't, and there was no way he was going to tell her the real reason. He had to change the subject, and fast.

"I can assure you it wasn't your fault." _Well, not really. _"I've just been very distracted lately. So, do you want to tell me exactly what made your night so horrible? I'm a fair listener." He didn't want her to have to go over the details of her terrible evening, but he needed to distract her. It worked. Her worried expression faded, turning into slight frustration.

"Well, when McLaggen asked me to go the ball I started to get really excited, thinking I'd have a wonderful time, you know? Everybody has somebody, except for me. Well I suppose Ron doesn't have anyone now that he and Lavender broke up...and it serves him right! Anyway, when we got to the ball McLaggen didn't even ask me to dance, all he did was sit uncomfortably close and it was like he couldn't keep his hands off of me! I was so tired of him that I was going to leave, then Ron came up and told me how he was going to ask me to the ball after Lavender dumped him...can you _believe _him? And it isn't the first time this happened either, he tried the same thing last time when he couldn't find anyone else to go with. Do I look like a last resort? I was so angry I pulled McLaggen outside with me, so I could get back at Ron. That plan backfired though, because the bastard tried to kiss me and probably do more than that. So I hit him with a stinging jinx and left him out in the grounds. Then I ended up here." She angrily slammed a fist into the floor, then grabbed the bottle from him and started to drink from it. He had been trying to take in everything she had just said, so he didn't have time to react when she took it from him. Leaning over, he tugged the bottle out of her grasp, ignoring her protests. He smiled gently at her.

"Miss Granger, I don't think-"

"Call me Hermione,"she said, looking crossly at the bottle, now safely back in his hand. "And I needed that."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think you should drink anymore. Now, if I understand correctly, your date tried to attack you?"

"Yes, he did. But I bet that jinx made him regret it."

Kai cursed inwardly. If McLaggen regretted it now, he'd be begging Hermione for forgiveness by the time Kai was through with him. He shrugged the thought off. McLaggen was definitely going to pay, but that would come later.

He got up from the floor, and he turned to help Hermione up. She looked surprised.

"What are you doing?" she asked. He didn't answer. Instead, he pointed his wand at the bells hanging from the ceiling, and they instantly began to chime in unison, creating a soft, slow-beat rhythm. He turned back to her, and held out his hand.

"May I have this dance?"

She looked extremely confused. "But...but you hate dancing," she said, looking at him warily.

He grinned. "Yes, I did say I hate formal dancing, but I would hardly call this formal. Besides, you never got your dance, and I can't let your night be _completely_ ruined, can I?"

A smile lit up her face, and once again he had to ignore the sensation in his stomach. She obviously had no idea what her smile did to him. She accepted his hand, and moved closer, placing her other hand on his shoulder. It was wonderful, being this close to her. She felt so right in his arms. As they swayed slowly together, she smiled up at him.

"Thank you," she whispered. She took her hand away from his, and hugged him suddenly. He couldn't resist. He tilted her chin up and kissed her. All the love, all the passion he felt for her was put into that kiss. His head was spinning, but in a good way... It was like the world around him had been in darkness and now it finally lit up.

And the most wonderful part was, she was kissing him back. Her hands had wrapped themselves around his neck, pulling him closer. He forgot everything around him; she was the only person in his world right now.

Suddenly, the clock chimed loudly, bringing him crashing back to reality. They pulled apart, breathing heavily.

"I should go," she said, looking at him. "I told Ginny I'd meet her in the common room after the ball."

She picked up the purse she had left on the floor, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I had a wonderful night after all." She smiled at him and left.

He stood there watching her leave, feeling like he was going to explode with happiness. Then, slowly, a dark cloud crept over his joy, and the grin slid off of his face.

_Did I just kiss a student?_

_

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_**Hope you liked it! Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I"M SORRY!  
I know I took WAY too long to update. I pinched myself already, on behalf of all of you. (ow!)  
****Thank you Alex! =)**

* * *

As Hermione awoke, the memories of the night before came flooding back to her. She smiled to herself and hugged Crookshanks, who gave a grumpy meow and leapt off the bed. As the curtain around her bed shifted, a splash of red caught her eye on her bedside table. She reached over. It was a rose, attached to a single sheet of folded parchment.

_Can you meet me in the North Tower at 10? There's a secret room behind the portrait of the wizard in space. The password is milky way.  
I had a wonderful time last night. _

_- K_

"Ooh is that a love note, Hermione?" called a voice from across the dormitory. Parvati was sitting on her bed, looking with interest at the rose Hermione still clutched in her hand. "I guess you and McLaggen had a good time last night?"

"Yes, we did," said Hermione, lying through her teeth. "He just sent a note saying he can't wait to see me again. But I don't think we'll be going out again anytime soon."

"What?" In a trice Parvati had bounded across the room and was sitting next to her. "But you just said you had a good time with him! And McLaggen is _really _good looking!"

"Well, you see," she began, trying desperately to think of an excuse Parvati would believe. "Er...I can't let him think I _want _to see him again. Then he'd lose interest in me. It's how boys think. They enjoy having to chase after us. So I can't seem too eager, can I?" She gave an inner sigh of relief as she watched Parvati's scandalized expression fade into one of awe. _That was close._

* * *

The corridors were almost deserted that morning, due to the majority of the student population sleeping in late from the night before. Hermione managed to reach the North Tower without bumping into anyone else, including Peeves and Argus Filch. She climbed through the portrait hole and noticed, with a slight disappointment, that the room was empty. Was she too early?

"Hermione," said a voice behind her. She turned around, unable to hide the smile that had appeared on her face at the sound of his voice.

"Hi. I thought I arrived too early."

"You did," he said, flashing her a surprisingly mischievous grin. "It's only 9 o'clock."

"I..." She was horrified. _Merlin's pants! An entire hour earlier than I was supposed to be here? He probably thinks I'm loopy! I should have... Wait a minute. Why is he here?_

"So why are you here then?" she said, raising an eyebrow. He laughed. "Maybe it's the same reason."

She took a seat on a nearby armchair. "So...about last night..." she began tentatively.

He sobered instantly. Taking a seat across from her, he took a deep breath.

"I really _did _have a wonderful time last night, Hermione. You made me feel things I never would have believed in."

She could tell that he wasn't finished. "But?"

He sighed, his expression pained. "I have Dumbledore's trust, and I cannot betray that. He knew how all the students' parents felt after the incident with Lupin, yet he still gave me this opportunity. I will always be indebted to him."

She sighed. She should have expected it.

"Then with you," he continued, "I don't think anyone would be too pleased if they discovered we were seeing each other. You're a brilliant student, Hermione. Possibly the most promising student Hogwarts has ever seen. I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that. I'm sure Professor McGonagall would have my head."

She couldn't help but smile at the thought. "I'm sure she would."

He took her hands gently in his. "So are you alright with this?" he said, searching her expression carefully.

She sighed again. His fingers felt so warm around hers. So _right_. Yet she knew what he was saying made sense. It couldn't work. They couldn't work.

"I understand," she said, softly. She pulled herself up from the armchair and moved across the room to stare absently out of the window. "We both agree to act as though nothing happened between us." She turned around, smiling. "Friends?"

He returned her smile, looking relieved. "Friends. Well, as friendly as any teacher and student can get."

She glanced at her watch. "I think it's time for me to get back to the common room and see if Ginny is up. Goodbye...Professor. I'll see you in class."

He grinned. "Goodbye Ms. Granger."

As she climbed out of the portrait hole, she heard the faint sound of pages rustling. Glancing around, she realized with alarm that Lavender was sitting at a table near the window, a pile of parchment and her Charms textbook balanced in front of her.

"Hermione!" said Lavender, looking surprised. "I had no idea that anyone would be up here this early. And what's that room behind you?" she added, peering curiously at the half-open portrait.

"Er..." With surprising speed, Hermione managed to slam the portrait shut. "It's nothing. Just an empty old room I stumbled across this morning. So what are you doing up here?"

Lavender cast one more curious glance at the portrait, then shrugged and picked up her quill. "I'm trying to do my Charms homework."

"But...we don't _have_ any Charms homework." _And even if we did, there's no way you would spend your Saturday morning doing it,_ Hermione added mentally.

"I know," replied Lavender, busily leafing through the textbook. "But I want to show Professor Novak that I'm just as good a student as" she looked briefly up at Hermione," anybody else. I just wish I'd listened more in Flitwick's classes. There's so much I have to learn!"

"You're learning Charms to impress him?" She wasn't sure whether to laugh or not. Kai had certainly made an impact on the female population. Lavender doing unnecessary studying on a Saturday morning?

"Yes," Lavender gave a dreamy sigh and shut her textbook. "Isn't he gorgeous?"

"I..." _Can he hear us? _"I...er...I don't know. I suppose." She felt uncomfortable. What if he _could _hear them? Dhampir senses were much sharper than the average wizard's.

"Wait a minute, Hermione!" Lavender jumped up suddenly, startling her. "I've just thought of a brilliant idea! _You_ could help me learn Charms!"

_No. No I can't. _"Me?" Lavender nodded at her excitedly. "I don't know... I mean, I have so much work to do on my own and-"

"Fine." Lavender sniffed, taking her seat again. "I'll just do it on my own. Or I could ask someone else to help me. Maybe a seventh year or a teacher or..." She gasped and jumped back up. "I'll ask Professor Novak to help me! It's a perfect idea!" She had an ecstatic expression on her face, unconsciously messing up her stack of parchment as she jumped up and down.

Hermione was horrified. With a huge effort, she made an attempt to clear her thoughts. _No, Hermione, _she told herself. _She's his student too. She has every right to ask him for help. And besides, there's nothing going on between you and him anyway. _Still, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the thought of Lavender and her outrageous flirting. Taking a deep breath, she made up her mind. _I hope I know what I'm doing._

"Ka- I mean, Professor Novak has enough to do as it is. And you'd have to go through McGonagall and Dumbledore to apply for Remedial Charms classes, and then they would have to look at all of your Charms grades... It would be a lot of hassle. Do you really want go through all of that trouble?"

Lavender looked like she had just been given a year's worth of detention. "I suppose not..."

"I'll help you."

Lavender's expression became immediately ecstatic once more. "You will? Oh thank you so much, Hermione! When do we start?"

"Right now if you like. Let's go down to the library, or the common room." _Anywhere else. _

Lavender snatched everything off the desk and headed out of the room, still beaming. With a sigh, and one quick glance toward the portrait, Hermione followed.

_Please don't say he heard that._

* * *

**Until we meet again! ^_^**


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione let out a weary sigh as she left the library and began to walk through the second floor corridor. It had only been one day since she'd agreed to tutor Lavender in Charms, and already she regretted it. Lavender's newly found interest in the subject (and its instructor) had resulted in constant questions about _everything _they'd learnt since their first year, giving Hermione almost no time to herself. She wasn't sure which would be worse - Lavender's endless questions to her or Lavender's endless questions to Kai. An image of Lavender batting her eyelashes at him over his desk suddenly flashed across her mind.

On second thought, she'd put up with the tutoring.

She was so immersed in her thoughts that she unexpectedly bumped into someone as she rounded the corner. She took a quick step back, ready to utter her apologies.

"I'm so sorry, I -" Looking up, she realized that it was none other than Kai. He looked just as surprised as she felt.

"It's my fault, Ms Granger," he said. "I apologize."

She gave a nervous laugh. Standing so close to him was reminding her painfully of the night of the ball. After their agreement the day before, she was determined to only think of him as her professor, but being so very near to him again was making her breathless. Why did he have to be so agonizingly attractive?

"Um...no problem."

He smiled at her. For a moment, she thought she could see the same passionate look in his eyes that she'd seen when he had looked at her in the clock tower. She shook the idea from her mind. Lavender was clearly driving her insane. "Well then, Ms. Granger, I'll see you in class tomorrow. Good day." he said, turning to continue down the corridor.

"Wait!"

He stopped and looked at her expectantly. "Yes?"

"Yesterday, when I left the room, Lavender was outside..."

"Ah yes, Ms. Brown. I heard her talking to you so I decided it was wise not to leave at that moment. Did she see you coming out of the portrait hole?"

"Yes, but she didn't really seem to care about that. Er...after I shut the portrait...did you happen to hear our conversation?"

He glanced at her curiously. "No. The castle walls are thicker than you might think. Was there something I ought to have heard?"

She almost sighed out loud in relief. "No. Just some girl talk, that's all. Have a good day, Professor."

* * *

Kai poured himself a cup of coffee from the bottomless jug in the staff room and stood by the window, staring out at the Hogwarts grounds. He couldn't seem to understand the effect that Hermione Granger had on him. It was maddening. Bumping into her on the second floor had stirred up some of his fiery feelings from before, and he'd had to force himself to walk away from her. If people thought he was dangerous, they obviously had no idea how lethal Hermione's smile was. He would have to be more careful. Thank goodness he was only required to see her during classes.

"Oh there you are, Kai," called Professor McGonagall, walking in through the staff room door with a roll of parchment in her hands. "I've been looking for you. Do you have a moment?"

"Of course, Professor," he said. She gestured to the parchment in her hands.

"We've just received word that the Charms Association is having their Student Enchantment Competition next month at Beauxbatons. They should have sent us a message sooner but that Benjamin Barnacles is always so disorganized." She shook her head disapprovingly as she unrolled the parchment.

"We need to send our student representative along with one teacher for two weeks, and since Professor Flitwick is on vacation I was hoping you'd be up to the task."

He nodded. "Of course. It would be an honor. Who shall I be accompanying?"

"Hermione Granger, of course."

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**Dun dun dun! Who knows what's going to happen? (I don't)**

***stares outside* Gee, what a nice day for some reviews.. (hint hint)**


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